Today's NYT Wordle lands with puzzle #1738, and this Monday challenge serves up a typography term that might catch casual players off guard but rewards those with design knowledge. Whether you're protecting a legendary streak or starting fresh, we've got the hints to guide you home.
The Basics (For New Players)
Wordle gives you six attempts to crack a five-letter word. After each guess, tiles change color: green means right letter, right spot; yellow signals right letter, wrong position; gray indicates the letter isn't in the word at all. One puzzle per day, shared by millions worldwide. That's the beauty of it.
Created by Josh Wardle in 2021 and now part of The New York Times Games family, Wordle has become a daily ritual for word lovers everywhere. Today's puzzle #1738 awaits.
The Letter Rundown
Today's puzzle breaks down like this:
Vowel Count: 2 vowel(s)
Consonant Count: 3 consonant(s)
Repeated Letters: No
Letter Rarity: All common letters
The Elimination Game (Progressive Hints)
We've designed these hints to reveal just enough at each level. Stop when you've got it figured out.
Level 1 (The Vibe): Think typography and design aesthetics.
Level 2 (The Category): This word is a noun. It's something you'd find in font design.
Level 3 (The Boundaries): Starts with S, ends with F.
Level 4 (The Structure): The vowels sit in positions 2 and 4.
Level 5 (The Giveaway): A small decorative stroke at the end of a letter's main stroke.
Quick-Reference Clues
First Letter: S
Last Letter: F
Vowels Present: E, I
Double Letters: NO
Rhymes With: SHERIFF, TERRIFF, PERRIF
Today's Wordle Answer
Final warning: The answer is directly below. Scroll only if you're ready.
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The answer to Wordle #1738 is: SERIF
Word DNA: Breaking Down Today's Answer
SERIF noun. A small decorative line or stroke attached to the end of a larger stroke in a letter or symbol in typography.
Origins: Likely from Dutch "schreef" meaning "line, stroke" or possibly from Latin "scribere" meaning "to write."
Word Family: serifed, sans-serif, serifless
Fun Fact: The word "serif" is relatively rare in everyday vocabulary but common in design and typography contexts, making it a potentially tricky Wordle answer for casual players.
The Streak Saver Rating
Difficulty: 3 / 5
Trap Factor: MEDIUM. The word uses common letters but represents an uncommon concept.
Average Solve: 3.8 guesses (estimate based on difficulty)
SERIF presents a moderate challenge with all common letters but an uncommon vocabulary term. Players familiar with typography will have an advantage, while others might struggle with the specific concept despite recognizing the letter pattern. The S-R-F consonant combination is distinctive once vowels are identified.
What This Puzzle Teaches
This puzzle demonstrates the value of testing less common starting words that include S and R combinations, which can reveal consonant patterns early.
The vowel pattern (E in position 2, I in position 4) is a common structure that players should recognize and test systematically when eliminating possibilities.
Tomorrow's Reset
Puzzle #1739 drops at midnight in your timezone. Did today's SERIF catch you off guard, or did you crack it in three? Either way, every Wordle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at midnight for the next challenge.
